Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Here’s an exchange we thought you’d like to read. It goes back to an issue we just wrote about last week – people not understanding that if they do something in public in Ashvegas, we might photo it and post it on the internets.
Here’s the e-mail we received today:
Hey there!
Just wanted to shoot you an email concerning your photos of the Rebelles on your blog and posted on Flicker. Perhaps, out of respect to Paige Turner & Mona Lott, you might want to consider removing the images of them in pasties. The Rebelles always begin every show asking that people refrain from taking photographs and not everyone wants pictures of themselves up all over the internet.
It is one thing to agree to putting it out there, as these girls did, but maybe next time you can take a picture with your mind and keep it to yourself.
respectfully,
Letitia Walker
aka Trixie Welles
And our response:
Trixie,
Perhaps. but i don’t think so.
first – i attended the entire show, and nobody said a word about refraining from taking pictures.
second, i suggest that if the Rebelles don’t want photos of themselves shot and spread all over the internet, they shouldn’t be flashing themselves on a giant, brightly-lit stage set up in the middle of a public street in downtown Ashvegas.
the Rebelles want attention and publicity, right? that’s why there’s a show. but they don’t want pictures? sorry, but that doesn’t wash. for more clarification, scroll down and see my post about taking photos around Ashvegas.
i was trying to do something nice. give the Rebelles some free pub on my rockin’ blog. i took great photos. they’re respectful. if anything, the Rebelles should be calling me up, asking to buy prints.
keep your pasties to yourselves if you don’t want it out there. otherwise, expect Ashvegas to be there with camera in hand, firing away.
-vegas
Leticia,
we find it interesting that you can’t let this go. you want to keep showing your ignorance? fine.
we’ll put up as many photos as we damn well please. following your logic – how many photos is appropriate? 40? 30? 20? you’re being ridiculous.
funny about getting panties in a wad – it always seems to happen to us when people around us get really stupid. we get defensive when someone suggests that we’re being disprespectful or doing something wrong, when in fact absolutely neither is the case.
glad to hear you’re not a part of Rebelles "leadership team." we were about to be really disappointed.
and let us help you make your case for full disclosure – you forget this from the note you sent:
"ps: some seriously phallacious reasoning in that second paragraph btw… the photographer holds no responsibility for the pictures he takes or the way he presents them?"
once again, we sorry that you can’t follow simple logic. here’s the point – they’re our photos and we can do whatever we damn well please with them.
So if the chick is scared of losing her job, why in the hell is she dancing half-nekkid on a public stage in the middle of downtown.
It is not in the least disrespectful to take a public photo in a public place and post it on a public blog. If the girls want more control over the reproduction of their image, they should perform on the street.
O, and I’d love to dance with Rebelles, and, if I did, and did it in public, I’d let Ash take lots of photos and post them all over the place. After all, he’s an amazing photographer and takes photos that revel in the girls’ beauty!
I found it interesting that you didn’t post the entirety of our conversation on your blog. Just wanted to post the response I sent you for the record.
"Dear Anonymous,
Your pictures are respectful and I’m sure that anyone who hotlinks to them or sends them to photobucket will be just as respectful as you have been. That’s why you had to put 43 pics up….because it’s all about attention for the Rebelles, right, none of it for yourself or your ‘rockin’ blog.’
Sorry to have gotten your panties in a wad… No need to be defensive. I was just trying to offer a different perspective which you are welcome to heed or ignore as you wish. Again, I was never trying to call into question your [rights or] talent as a photographer just that maybe there didn’t need to be so many photos of Mona in pasties. I know she looked awesome, but there’s nothing wrong with a little editing, right. It turns into a photo spread not just documentation.
I want you to know that this email is in no way an official communication from the Rebelles. I am not part of the leadership team and I just came across these photos as your average surfer. I’m not trying to start an AshVegas/Rebelles conflict and am just writing to you as a fellow creative member of the Asheville community.
Letitia"
In our secluded little piece of the universe I think self absorption can get out of hand. The same amendments that allow you to dance quite naked and satarize the government on a city street are the same ones that allow you to photograph or otherwise record it. If the Rebelles are upset about recording their advertised public performance, imagine how upset they’ll be when they actually make it big and the paparazzi photograph their lives every second they step out of the house!
Not even if you were making money. No problem. Public is public.
A little insider information for you: one of the girls you took BEAUTIFUL photos of works for a local high profile company.
The woman who runs this company is freaking mad, and probably would treat her like crap if she found out. Anywho, I dont want to give details because I really feel like it might be bad karma and Ive already been hit by a bus once this week.
Back on topic… if acted in the public arena, there are no personal rights of privacy. Great blog, Ashvegas.. check in every day!
Couldn’t agee with you more. Public performance trumps any right to privacy, particularly if they are performing on a city street. If you were making money from their images, directly or indirectly, then they might have a right to squawk.